Most Helpful Customer Reviews

The third season of 'Damages' is a bit of a departure from the pervious two seasons. Where season one was an extremely tight, maniacal thriller, and season two was a knotty, complex, esponiage-esque mystery, season three takes a cue from classic noir sensibilities. Season three is extremely understated and character driven. They are more concerned with digging into the character's psyches than with the actual court case. A standout aspect to the season is Patty's intriguing dream sequences. As for the case, it's almost non-existant, which is the point. The fact that the true center of the case remains a mystery up until the last episode helps enforce the centerless, surreal world of noir. Like any good noir, you never feel safe when watching season three.

My advice is that you need to be patient with this season. It's not as instantly rewarding as the other two, but the ending does pack a punch. I don't want to spell out all the noir connections in this little review because part of the fun is trying to figure them all out. Do some research on what makes something 'noir' and see if you agree with me. What you can expect more of in season three: is stellar acting from the impeccable cast, great dialogue and narrative construction and a very timely court case.

'Damages' is a phenomenal show and I think season three will be very rewarding to long time fans and especially to patient, attentive viewers.

The first season of DAMAGES was one of the best seasons of television i'd witnessed in my many years . Just brilliant to my mind . I was less taken with season two but still think it better than the average bear . I felt that season (two) was kinda repetitive and certainly less inspired that that incredibly hard to match first year . There are a pretty fair amount of absurdities in this third season . The show hugs those to its breast though and really delivers on the entertainment value . My wife and i are streaming this season and last night completed episode eight . I'm thrilled to report that Martin Short does a superb job with the first serious role i've ever seen him do . I go all the way back to SCTV with Martin . I feel it's his best work since then . Tom Noonan is brilliant as well . The whole cast is outstanding in another must have season of cliff hangers , thrills , gasps , laughs and great wit . A huge thank you to the various writers . Better than most theatrical films .

Once again DAMAGES proves why it's one of TV's finest shows. Season 3 is a labyrynthine mix of greed, deception, lies, revelations, secrets---you name it, you got it. Without setting one foot in the courtroom, DAMAGES is legal drama at its best. The scripts and direction are superior, weaving intense personal subplots into the main plot.And the acting? Brilliant to say the least. Glenn Close brings a complexity to Patty Hewes that transcends the usual villainess persona. Shrewd--manipulative--ambitious--maybe even evil..but few characters on TV are as multidimensional as Patty and no one could portray her any better than Close. Rose Byrne is equally impressive, a Patty Hewes in the making. Byrne and Close work beautifully together. Given a larger role this season, Tate Donovan is mesmerizing as the doomed Tom Shayes. The guest stars this season are outstanding, especially Martin Short in a rare dramatic turn as the Tobins family attorney. And the rest are perfect: Campbell Scott, Ben Shankman, Ted Danson, Craig Bierko, Dominic Ciani, Timothy Olyphant, Madchen Amick, Len Cariou, Zachary Booth and of course Lily Tomlin as the Tobin matriarch. Ensemble acting at its finest.While MAD MEN gathers most critical accolades, DAMAGES imo is TV's best drama series.

I love the show Damages. I have watched seasons' one and two and I am getting ready to begin the third. If you love 24 and Dexter, hold on tight because you are about to go on the ride of your life. This show was unexpected and poorly marketed and is truly a diamond in the rough, a breath of fresh air. I am an avid television addict and had never even heard of the show until Directv started playing re-runs. This show would have had exceptional ratings had it been marketed properly. It is unbelievable. I watched all 27 episodes in 33 hours because I couldnt stop. Remember that nothing is as it seems and trust no one! ENJOY!

(This series set new standards for its kind. They raised the bar. So that two- star rating reflects disappointment re two seasons of five-star winners.

DAMAGE'S Season's One and Two were so sharp, so starkly realistic in depicting the depths and heights of each principal character; plotting, motivations, sudden twists which were spectacular but remarkably believable and came easily from carefully-drawn, personalities and situations.

Not so in Season Three. Here, characterizations are a great deal thinner, their natures not as developed or believable. It's not the as-always great acting of Close & Co, but the writing. Characters seem cartoon-ish, abbreviated, stereotyped.

There seems to be more superfluous characters. Add to that, central characters were given hasty-seeming melodramatic exit scenarios to wrap up their parts. Those extraneous characters were given quick hello's and then contrived reasons for sudden goodbye's.

There won't be any spoilers in this review, because there are just so many of them; shocking denouements which suddenly usher characters out; most seeming rushed and melodramatic; maybe called for by stereotyped characters there only to justify some plot twist.

Overall it seems this season was designed to end the series. I hope it won't be; I pray that if Damages is to go they go out in a blaze of intelligence and far-more sophisticated plotting, acting, dialogue and sophisticated entertainment. Amen